It's My Party And I'll Cry If I Want To
by ClassicTVGrl607080
Summary: Angela's birthday is just around the corner and due to a recent incident, talk with Samantha, story from her 14th birthday and bad dreams...she's not looking forward to the occassion.
1. Men Can Be So Cruel

Sorry for deleting this story everyone, but every time I updated/edited it, wouldn't show it in my story.. make sense? So I decided I'd do my best to nearly complete it before bringing it back. So here it is. Thanks for your patience, and I am really sorry.

**Chapter One: "Men Can Be So Cruel"**

_As she walked out onto the tennis court, she saw two people standing next to the net. The female gave a sorrowful look, which soon turned into a grin, said one word to her male companion and then wrapped her arms around him and leaned in for a kiss, to which he responded. _

_Tears began to stream down the on-lookers face. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and turned towards the building as fast as she could._

* * *

_It's 'bout as bad as it could be  
__Seems everybody's buggin' me  
Like nothing wants to go my way--  
yeah, it just ain't been my day  
Nothin's comin' easily... _

_...I just wanna disappear... _

_...When everything is goin' wrong  
Don't worry, it won't last for long  
Yeah, it's all gonna come around  
Don't go let it get you down  
You gotta keep on holding on _

_It's 'bout as bad as it could be  
Seems everybody's buggin' me  
Like nothing want to go my way--  
yeah, it just ain't been my day  
Nothin's comin' easily... _

_"Up" By Shania Twain_

* * *

Angela exits her bedroom and enters the dark hallway. After shutting the bedroom door softly, she tightly ties her pink bathrobe around her body and then heads downstairs. Reaching the last few steps, Angela sees Samantha on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, flipping through channels on the TV. 

"Sam, what are you doing up, sweetheart?" Angela asks, squinting from the glare of the television. She walks toward the couch. "When I heard the TV, I thought you were your father."

"Oh, hi Angela. No it's me. I couldn't get any sleep. What are you doing up?" Sam scoots to her left to give Angela room.

"Same reason." Angela gives her a small smile and then it fades away. "Is something bothering you?"

"Well, kinda." Sam replies as she mutes the television and places the remote on the coffee table.

"Would you like to talk?" Angela asks giving the young girl a reassuring look.

"I-I guess so." Sam composes herself and then begins to talk. "I was in the library today doing some research and overheard a group of girls telling stories of males they knew that were abusive and neglected their families and stuff. Twin girls at the table were saying that their father abused their mom, but for some reason never touched them. And before he could harm either one of them, their aunt and uncle placed them into their home. Their mom is still in the hospital, but will get to move in with them as soon as she has fully recovered."

"Goodness. That's terrible." Angela says softly.

"And another girl said that she is having to move soon because her mother's boyfriend has been verbally and physically abusing her. And there was even a guy at the table who said he moved here two years ago because his father was an alcoholic and him and his mother had to get away. Then I was talking to a girl at the lunch table today who told me that she and her mom and little sister moved here because of her Dad. It turns out they are all in this class for 'Healing Families'. Some cases aren't so bad. She told me that one guy in the class, him and his mother moved here because his mom caught her husband kissing another woman. Seems he'd been having an affair with her for two months. And it's not all men, of course. But this class or group is for children with 'bad' fathers as they call it. A couple of the kids have fathers that don't abuse, just neglect them. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing. There are about two or so in the class that have had their father's just leave, like what Jonathan and you went through with Mr. Bower." Sam looks up and Angela gives her a nod and hugs her.

"I told Amanda, that's the girl I talked to at lunch, about Dad. And how he is, she just said that I was very lucky that he's always there for me. She said she was sorry about Mom, but said that I must be very thankful to have Jonathan, Mona and you. And guess what?"

"What?" Angela asks through tears.

"I'm **_very_** thankful for you guys." Sam tells Angela with small tears running down her cheeks.

"So am I." Angela replies sniffling and gives Samantha a hug.

"And then when she told me about that one guy's mother catching her husband kissing someone else, it made me think of when I saw Chad kiss Susie. But more – seeing someone you love kissing someone else as an adult must be very painful, especially if you're married." Sam moves back to her spot.

"Yes." Angela says softly nodding her head as her thoughts return to a few days ago. "Well at any age it's painful, well a mature age, when you can understand the concept." Angela situates herself on the couch and takes some of the blanket that Samantha offers her, "But let me tell you a story."

Sam leans back against the couch and hugs a pillow to her chest as Angela begins to tell her story.


	2. The Cruel Birthday Joke

**Chapter Two: "The Cruel Birthday Joke"**

"It was my 14th birthday. Which was the same year my father died, but some months before my weight problem and my hair was still blonde at that point." Angela begins. "And well I was just thanking my parents for their gifts---."

* * *

"_Thank you for the gifts!" Angela thanked her parents and hugged them. _

_"You're welcome." Mona replied with a smile._

_"You're welcome, sweetie." Robert told her and kissed her on the cheek. _

**_Phone Rings_**

_"I got it!" Angela ran into the living room to answer the phone. _

_"Hello? Oh hi! Um, yeah! Sure! Be there in a few minutes. Thanks, Bye!" Angela hung up the phone with excitement and ran back into the kitchen. _

_"Mother, Daddy! Guess What? Tracey Marshall just called and asked if I could come over! She's never asked me before, and she lives two blocks away. Can I? Please?" Angela said with double excitement. _

_"Certainly. Be back in an hour and a half though." Robert said as he began to gather plates off the table. _

_"Oh, thanks Daddy!" She gave him a huge hug._

_"Have fun, honey." Mona responded as she began to help her husband._

_"I will… see you later!" Angela announced. She ran out of the room and out the front door._

_Angela arrived at Tracey's house to see the lights out. She rang the doorbell and then tried the doorknob. The door was unlocked. So Angela slowly opened the door. _

_"Tracey?" Angela called into the dark house. _

_"SURPRISE!"_

_All of a sudden the lights came on and Angela looked around to see several boys and girls from her grade in the house. Streamers were all over the living room, many decorations and even a banner that said: "Happy Birthday, Angela". But that was only a blur to what she focused her eyes on. Lucy, the new girl in school and Steven, the boy Angela liked, were kissing in the corner of the room. She looked around to see the evil looks on everyone and turned toward Tracey, who had come up to her. _

_"Happy Birthday." Tracey told her with a smirk. _

_Angela turned back to look at the couple in the corner. They had released from each other and now Lucy was flashing a ring that was around her neck. Angela's eyes filled with tears and she ran out of the house as fast as she could._

**_Minutes Later_**

_Angela shut the front door and ran up the stairs to her bedroom, her white paten leather shoes clicking each step along the way. She slammed her bedroom door, flung herself onto the bed and burst into more tears. The minutes passed -- Angela sat up and grabbed some tissues from the nightstand. She then turned on the radio and began flipping through the stations._

_"We are back from commercials… next we have sixteen year old Leslie Gore with a new song for this year, "It's My Party"."_

_It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to__  
__Cry if I want to, cry if I want to__  
__You would cry too if it happened to you_

_Nobody knows where my Johnny has gone (Johnny has gone)__  
__But Judy left the same time__  
__Why was he holding her hand__  
__When he's supposed to be mine?_

_It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to__  
__Cry if I want to, cry if I want to__  
__You would cry too if it happened to you_

_Play all my records, keep dancing all night (dancing all night)__  
__But leave me alone for a while__  
__'Til Johnny's dancing with me,__  
__I've got no reason to smile_

_It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to__  
__Cry if I want to, cry if I want to__  
__You would cry too if it happened to you_

_Judy and Johnny just walked through the door (walked through the door)__  
__Like a queen with her king__  
__Oh, what a birthday surprise__  
__Judy's wearing his ring!_

_It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to__  
__Cry if I want to, cry if I want to__  
__You would cry too if it happened to you_

_Oooooooh__  
__It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to__  
__Cry if I want to, cry if I want to__  
__You would cry too if it happened to you_

_Angela sat up, turned off the radio and wiped away her tears. She looked down to see teardrops on her new baby blue dress. She sighed, got off her bed and decided to do her best to get the recent incident off her mind._


	3. Mother & Daughter Moment

"Oh, Angela. I can't believe they did that to you. How cruel." Samantha replies after Angela finishes her story.

"Yes, well I got over it ... and him." Angela adds. "My childhood wasn't all that great, as you already know. Anyway, I have had worst things happen and unfortunately, similar incidents."

"Really?" Sam asks with a surprised look.

Angela just nods, not wanting to think about what she's really talking about.

"Oh, gee. I'm sorry." Sam replies with a sad look.

"Oh, don't be, sweetie. Not the first and only time. Lots of girls go through it, unfortunately."

"Yeah, I did." Sam adds, looking up.

Angela pats the young girl's knee. "But let's just keep in mind that not all guys are that way."

"Right." Sam nods her head. "Like Dad ... and I am sure Jonathan will never be that way." Samantha says with a reassuring smile.

Angela gives Sam a weak smile, not knowing what to say exactly. She knew that Samantha was right, Tony was nothing like any of these men that they had been talking about. And she knew that Jonathan would definitely not be like that. He'd be like... well... like Tony. Angela smiles to herself. Tony has begun to change over the past couple of years and it was because Sam and him had come into the lives of Jonathan, Mona and herself. He's become a father to Jonathan and especially since Michael has left and re-married. Angela herself has become a mother to Samantha. They were changing each other and very lucky to have one another. But what about the incident she had witnessed? Sure Tony can go out with other women. But no matter what, Angela knew it made her feel jealous... and seeing him kiss another woman... well let's just say it was much worse.

"Angela?" Sam asks touching the woman's arm.

Angela shook out of her little world, "Yes?" She asks looking down at Sam.

"Are you okay?" Sam asks concerned.

"Yes, I'm sorry." Angela gives her a warm smile. "I think we better go back to bed." She says and gets up off the couch.

"Yeah I guess so." Sam turns off the television and follows Angela up the stairs.

"Good-night, Sam." Angela says as the two head to their rooms.

Sam walks over to Angela and gives her a hug, "Thanks for listening and sitting up with me for awhile."

"What are friends for?" Angela squeezes back.

Sam just smiles up at her and then walks back over to her room. She opens her bedroom door and then turns back around before heading in. "Angela?"

"Yes?" Angela turns to look at the young girl once again as she opens her own door.

"Love you." Samantha states with a small grin.

Angela is touched by Sam's statement and in return answers, "I love you too, sweetheart."

They smile at each other one last time before entering their rooms for the rest of the evening.


	4. Birthday Nightmare Revised

Angela unlocks the front door and enters the living room to find a dark house.

"Tony? Sam? Jonathan? Mother?" She calls. "Anyone here?" She reaches for the light switch.

"SURPRISE!"

Angela turns around to see Samantha, Jonathan, Mona, Wendy, Isabel, Dr. Ferguson, Marci, Bonnie, Philly, Tiny, and a few others in the room. There are several decorations all over the room, presents on the coffee table and a banner hung over the fire place that reads: "Happy Birthday Angela! We Love You!" Mona walks up to Angela as she shuts the front door.

"Happy Birthday, Dear."

"Oh mother, you did all this?" Angela asks as she looks around the room.

"Well I had some help." Mona replies with a wink and smiles.

"I can't believe it. I just don't know what to say." Angela walks further into the room. "Mother, where's T-on-y?" Angela stops dead in her tracks as she watches as the kitchen door magically swings open and there in the doorway is Tony and the new tennis player from the Country Club, Julie laughing and kissing.

Angela suddenly finds herself back in the Country Club like she had days ago standing just feet away from the entrance of the tennis court watching the same two people talking and kissing. The image soon fades away and she finds herself back in Tracey Marshall's house at fourteen watching Steven and Lucy kissing in the corner of the room. Angela looks closer and watches as the boy changes from Steven---to Tony!

"Tony?" Angela shrieks.

The couple break apart and look in the direction of Angela, who is in mere shock and on the verge of tears.

"Oh, hi Angela." Tony greets casually.

Angela watches as the teenage Lucy and Tony turn back into adult form. Lucy dissolves back into Julie as she leans against Tony. As she places her left hand on his chest, Angela looks closer. There on her finger as bright as day is …is...an engagement ring! Angela looks at the two in horror. This could **not** be happening! Julie looks at Angela with an evil grin as Tony kisses the top of her head. Julie gives Angela a snooty look, sticks out her tongue and slides her arms under Tony's arms and around his back, hugging him closer.

Angela slowly walks backwards and feels the tears start to flow down her face as she watches the two begin to whisper and laugh again. Seconds later, Samantha runs over to Julie and gives her a huge hug and clings onto her.

"Oh, you're the **_best_**! Love you, _Mom_."

Angela whips her body around and runs to the door, but finds it locked. She jiggles the doorknob and tries pulling. Nothing happens. More tears pour down her face as she tries with all her might to leave the house.

"Come on! --- Open up!" She yells. "Please… help!" Angela begs. In the background she can hear laughter and evil snickering. "Ugh! Come on…. Open! This can't be happening to me!" Angela continues to scream and pull on the doorknob. She finally gives up, turns around, leans her back against the door and slides down to the floor, collapsing into more tears.

"Tony, No!" Angela screams as she jolts upright. She looks around and sees that she's in her bedroom. Angela glances at the clock on her nightstand and reads: 3:06 AM.

"Ugh!" Angela plops back down onto her pillow, throws the covers over her head and begins to sob. Ever since Tony and Julie began hanging out together, Angela's been having these odd dreams of them as a couple. Then after witnessing the kiss at the Club, the dreams have become more intense and much worse. They started a week and a half ago and are still haunting her. It's times like these; that Angela wishes she could turn back time.


	5. What About My Birthday?

"Just do it! I want this to work this year!" Tony orders. He hands Mona a plate of toast.

"But Tony--." Mona interjects.

"Mo-na!"

"All right, all right!" She throws her arms up into the air.

"Thank You." Tony just gives her a smile, showing her that he got his way.

"And, this should be fun, Mona." Sam adds. She finishes up her breakfast and takes her bowl and glass to the sink.

"Yeah." Jonathan responds, nodding his head.

Just then Angela cautiously walks through the swinging door.

"Good Morning, Angela." Tony greets.

"Morning." She replies, barely cracking a smile.

"How did you sleep dear?" Mona asks.

Angela did **_not_** want to talk about how she had slept the night before. She felt like all she did was toss and turn. And those dreams re-playing over and over didn't help matters much either.

"Oh, not too well. Can we please not talk about it?" Angela responds as Tony places a cup of coffee next to her.

"Are you okay?" Tony asks with a concerned look.

Angela just looks up at him, wanting to cry and scream but she just says, "Yes, I'm fine."

"Okay." Tony replies, walks over and fetches a glass out of the cabinet and then retrieves the carton of juice out of the fridge.

"I think I'm gonna head out." Mona says as she gets up and takes her mug to the sink. "I got a big day."

"Oh?" Angela's ears perk up and she looks over at her mother.

"Why yes. I told Samantha that I'd take her and Bonnie out to lunch, shopping and then I have a hot date tonight." Mona says with a grin and a wink.

Sam smiles back.

"See ya later." Mona places her mug in the sink and then walks out the back door.

Angela's excitement fades.

"You two have plans?" Tony asks as he sets Angela's juice down beside her.

"Yep. Bonnie and I are spending the day together. First with Mona then Bonnie's Dad said he'd take us to the movies and then I'm spending the night with her. If that's all right with you?" Sam asks with a look.

"Sure." Tony replies. "Not like we have plans tonight." He gives his daughter a wink.

Angela can't believe what she's hearing. Her world just seems to be crashing all around her. Has the family really forgotten her birthday?

"Well I'm gonna go upstairs and call Bonnie to see what I should bring over." Sam announces and walks out of the kitchen.

"What about you, champ?" Tony asks Jonathan.

"I have that Scout meeting, remember?"

"Right. I remember."

"Scout meeting? Today?" Angela asks with surprise.

"Um, yeah. We got a call last night about it." Jonathan replies.

"Oh. Okay." Angela nods and takes a sip of her juice.

"And then Peter wanted me to come over. And I've been invited to dinner and ice cream. Can I go?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. Sure, Sweetheart." Angela says not knowing really what else to say.

"Thanks!" Jonathan hugs her while looking over at Tony who smiles at him. Jonathan runs out of the kitchen.

"Gee. Everyone seems to have such a busy schedule today. And I wasn't even notified." Angela says with surprise and sadness. "I thought today would be a 'family day'. I can't believe I have to work, though. I'm glad I'm not going in until eleven-thirty, but still.  
And Mother's not even going to be there, oh not like it'll make any difference. I have a meeting with Mr. Grayson. He told me that today would be the only time he could meet with me. He's going on vacation with his family next week and so he couldn't re-schedule. And on m--." Angela looks over at Tony who has moved to the sink to wash dishes. "—I mean of all the days to have a meeting, let alone work."

"You mean a weekend?"

"Uh... yeah." Angela says with a pause. She hesitates before continuing, "Um, Tony? What are you doing today?"

Tony turns around to face her while drying a dish, "Well I have to straighten up around the house, some errands to get done, take Jonathan to his scout meeting and then I promised Julie I'd take her shopping."

At the sound of Julie's name, Angela feels her heart sink. _Take her shopping?_ The way Tony said that, it sounded like they were dating. That really strikes Angela and she feels like she's on the verge of bursting into tears.

"Oh."

"Angela are you sure you're okay?" Tony asks setting the plate down in the drainer and then sitting in the chair next to her.

"Yes, I'm fine. Now if you'll excuse me I have to get ready for work." Angela scoots her chair back. "Thank you for the juice and coffee." She gives Tony a quick glance, gets up and leaves as she feels tears slowly fall from her eyes.

Tony watches her quickly leave the room and can't help but feel something is bothering her. And it hurts that she won't tell him, her best friend.


	6. The Anonymous Gift

I have pictures of Angela's dress if anyone would like to see what it really looks like. Please E-mail me or IM me.

* * *

"Ms. Bower, I think we should postpone our meeting." Mr. Grayson says looking up at the exhausted woman sitting in front of him. "We can discuss the shoe campaign when I come back from my daughter's house."

"But I thought you could only do this meeting today?" Angela asks. "Oh, well I will be okay. Thank you anyway. I just haven't been getting much sleep in about a week and a half."

"I honestly do not mind postponing our meeting until I return, Ms. Bower. I'm terribly sorry that you haven't been getting much sleep lately. I'll call you when I return from my daughter's in Atlanta, Georgia."

"But Mr. Gray--."

"I promise to call as soon as I return. I hope you feel better soon. Good-bye." Mr. Grayson says and shuts the door behind him.

Angela sighs deeply and slumps into her chair. After folding her arms on top of her desk and plopping her head down, Angela soon feels her body shake and hot tears roll down her cheeks and touch her arm. She couldn't take this much longer. Why couldn't her birthday already be over with? The past several weeks had just been horrifying to Angela and the nightmares didn't help. She knew she had to start putting on a happy face around the house and especially whenever she saw Tony and Julie together. Not to mention holding back tears that would surely threaten to fall down her face. Also the feeling of her heart breaking into a million pieces. But of course, this is just something that happens when you've fallen in love with someone.

Angela sits up and does her best to compose herself. She gets up, walks out of her office and heads to the restroom to splash water onto her face to wash away the redness and blotch marks. Moments later, Angela exits the restroom and heads back to her office to gather her things to leave.

"Excuse me? Are you Ms. Angela Bower?" A gentleman asks.

Angela turns around, "Yes, I am. How may I help you?" She asks moving toward the gentleman.

"I was told to deliver this to you ma'am." The man says holding up a large white box with a green ribbon tied around it. "And a woman in the parking lot stopped me and told me to give you the items in the bag."

"Oh. Well thank you sir." Angela takes the white box and denim cloth bag from the delivery boy.

"You're welcome, Miss." The gentleman says and leaves.

Angela looks down at the box as she slowly sits herself down on the floor. She unties the ribbon and lifts the lid of the large box. After unfolding the pastel pink tissue paper, Angela's eyes land on a beautiful sleeveless pale pink dress. Angela pulls out the dress to take a better look. The back of the dress was in a V-shape, but not real low and the skirt part of the dress had a net type thing over it.

"This is beautiful." She says aloud to herself.

Looking back into the box, Angela finds matching shoes and a little card. Lifting out the card she reads:

_"Pick you up at seven o' clock. I can't wait to see how radiant you will look in this dress."_

Angela is totally confused by the card. Could this gift be from Tony? Or someone else? As Angela places the items back into the box, she desperately hopes the gift is from Tony. After closing the box, Angela looks through the denim bag and finds her hairbrush, toothbrush and more. At the bottom of the bag, Angela finds a note:

_Angela Dear,__  
__I thought you would probably go out to dinner with your client after the meeting and want to freshen up first, so I sent along this bag to you. I'm about to get ready for my date. __  
__Mother_

Angela tosses the note back into the bag, stands up and with items in hand; walks back into her office to grab her briefcase before leaving the office.


	7. So Much For My Happy Ending

This is a long one... and I'm sorry for some of the things in here.. I had a major writer's block here.

* * *

"…_It's nice to know that you were there__  
__Thanks for actin' like you cared__  
__And makin' me feel that I was the only one__  
__It's nice to know we had it all__  
__Thanks for watchin' as I fall__  
__And letting me know we were done…_

_He was everything, everything that I wanted (I wanted)_

_We were meant to be, supposed to be, but we lost it__  
__All of the memories so close to me just fade away__  
__All this time you were pretendin' __  
__So much for my happy endin' …"_

_"(So Much For) My Happy Ending" By Avril Lavigne_

* * *

A tall woman with light brown hair and dark brown eyes enters the kitchen wearing a white tennis outfit. She sets her tennis racket down on the table.

"Hello, Sweetheart." She greets her husband and gives him a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey. How was the court today?" The man asks as he stops cutting vegetables and turns to kiss her back. He then returns to his duty.

"Oh it was wonderful! I taught four elementary school classes today and just fell in love with this one little girl. She is absolutely adorable! She has bright blue eyes, blonde hair and freckles! Her mother had put her hair up in two pony-tails today."

"Well she does sound cute."

"Where's Samantha?"

"You didn't see her at the club?" The man looks at his wife with a look.

"No."

"Well she's been there all day with Claire. She called me earlier while I was at Larry Mitchell's house. I was over there signing another contract. But anyway, she wanted to tell me that she won two games in a row. I'm so glad she made a new friend. Of course that was almost a year ago." The man says with a laugh.

"So am I." Hi wife smiles. "And hey, just think, she never would have met Claire, Penny or her other friends if it weren't for me telling you to move here to the countryside of New York in the first place. Aren't you glad?" The woman wraps her arms around her husband.

"Yes." The man drops what he's doing and turns around to face her and gives her a kiss.

They smile at each other and then she releases herself from him and moves to the table and takes a seat.

"Oh, Tony. You'll never guess who I saw today, sweetheart."

"Who?"

"Well –um, uh, Tony? Why are you doing the cooking? We have servants who do that."

"I know. But I wanted to do it tonight."

"Uh Huh. Well anyway—you'll never guess who I saw today."

"Who?" Tony inquires as he wipes his hands off on a dishtowel and joins his wife at the kitchen table.

"Angela."

"Angela? Angela who?"

"You know who. Angela. Angela Bower. You know. You lived with her for three to four years? Anyway, there is an advertising convention in town and I saw her name on a list at the Club today. And then I saw her standing outside the Convention Center with a group of men on my way home."

"Oh her. Right." Tony says realizing. "I guess I've blocked that from my memory."

"You have?"

"Yes."

"That makes no sense. You two were--." But she stops as Tony places a finger to her lips.

"Yes, we were lots of things. But Julie, you are the one in my life now, not her." He takes his hand away from her mouth.

"You mean you are not even gonna see her?" She asks in shock. "I still don't understand … nothing could ever--."

"Nope. Do we really have to get into this?"

"Oh, well no. Sorry I even brought it up." Julie says grinning.

"It's okay."

"I love you."

"I love you, too." Tony replies and leans in to kiss her.

**_Meanwhile_**

"Will you excuse me please? I'm going to try and look up Mr. Hamilton's phone number. I hope he hasn't forgotten about this." Angela announces to a group of people in a conference room.

She leaves and heads for a pay phone in the lobby. Opening the phone book she begins to flip through the pages for the "H's". As she continues to flip, she comes across a huge ad for _The Olive Grove Country Club_. Skimming over the advertisement, Angela notices names written in the corner of the ad. She freezes when she comes across one name in particular: Julie Micelli.

Angela quickly flips to the "M's" and soon finds the address she was hoping to find. It reads: _Micelli, Tony & Julie 1615 Autumn Palace Lane_. She shuts the phone book, picks up the phone, drops a dime into the slot and begins to dial a number.

_

* * *

__I know a girl who's obsessed with a guy__  
__She talks for hours and still tomorrow__  
__She'll call again and when he thinks that this could be the end,__  
__She calls again__  
__At six in the morning she waits at the door__  
__He tells her to leave but still tomorrow she'll be there again _

_She wont let go!_

_Can't you just go somewhere on vacation?__  
__I could book your flight__  
__And pack your bags__  
__If you want__  
__A one way ticket out of my life__  
__Watching you fly away__  
__I never liked you!_

_She doesn't care if he tries to ignore__  
__He runs away but still she follows__  
__She'll try again__  
__She likes to think she'll get him in the end_

_Yeah!_

_Can't you just go somewhere on vacation?__  
__I could book your flight__  
__And pack your bags__  
__If you want__  
__A one way ticket out of my life__  
__Watching you fly away__  
__I never liked you__  
__I never wanted you__  
__I never liked you__  
__I never wanted you, whoa!_

_Can't you just go somewhere on vacation?__  
__I could book your flight__  
__And pack your bags__  
__If you want__  
__A one-way ticket out of my life__  
__Watching you fly away__  
__I never liked you__  
__I never wanted you__  
__I never liked you__  
__I'm not in love with you!_

_"Vacation" By Simple Plan_

**_

* * *

Later _**

"Are you sure this is it?" Mona asks as Angela pulls up to a large white gate.

"Gee, it has 1615 on the post there." Angela gestures.

"I can't believe you found them, Mom. Wow! Look at the house! It's huge!" Jonathan exclaims.

The three look through the gate and can't believe their eyes. There several hundred feet in front of them is a large white mansion. Angela pulls the Jaguar up to the intercom and buzzes, seconds later the large white gate opens and she moves on forward up the long driveway to the house. After Angela parks, the three file out of the car and up the steps to the large white and gold front doors.

"May I help you?" A man in a suit asks as he opens the door.

Angela appears to be shaking some and speechless so Mona inquires, "Yes. May we see Mr. Micelli please?"

"Certainly. Please come in, I will let Mr. Micelli know that you are here. You may have a seat in the living room." The gentleman says and gestures to his right. He closes the doors and then makes his way down a hall by the stairs.

Mona, Angela and Jonathan walk into the living room and take a seat.

"Are you all right, dear?" Mona asks with concern as she notices Angela's legs shaking up and down as well as her fidgeting.

"I don't know. It's been so long since we've seen them. I'm just real nervous."

"Angela … this is Tony and Sam we are talking about."

"I know. But it looks like they've changed." Angela replies looking all around her at the massive house.

Soon footsteps are heard. The three turn their heads to see a man at the door. He has on black dress shoes, black dress pants, white dress shirt, a snazzy suit jacket and a red ascot. They can't believe their eyes … that could _not_ be **_their_** Tony!

"Ms. Bower, Ms. Robinson and Master Jonathan." Tony greets.

Nope. Not their Tony at all.

"Hi, Tony." Angela hesitantly states. "How have you been?"

"Just fine, thank you. And yourself?"

"Fine. There's a convention in town that I am attending. Mother and Jonathan came along, for once. And well I was in the middle of looking up a client's phone number when I saw Julie's name in an advertisement for a country club. And so we just had to stop by. I hope that is okay?" Angela knew that sounded dumb.

"Yes, that is fine, I guess. Julie told me earlier that she saw your name on a list at the club and then on her way home saw you standing outside the Convention Center with some gentlemen. She was surprised when I told her that I wasn't going to try and see you."

"Oh." Angela replies in sadness. "How come?"

"Ms. Bower--." Tony is about to explain when Sam enters the living room wearing a riding outfit and holding a riding crop in her hand.

"Claire, Penny and I are going to--." Sam stops when she sees the others.

"Oh hey, squirt. Hi, Ms. Bower. Ms. Robinson."

"Hi Sam." Jonathan replies. "I brought my baseball collection and I have a few new ones. Would you like to see them?"

"No. I hate baseball."

Did _Samantha Micelli_ really just say that?

"So does Dad. No more sports for him. Unless it's something like tennis, polo or chess. Right Dad?"

"Yes."

Whoa. What has happened to them? Tony hating sports? The world must be coming to an end the others thought.

"Oh, Sam. I'm been meaning to mail this to you, but I didn't know the address and well I've been keeping it with me just in case we ever met up again. It's a letter from Bonnie." Angela takes an envelope out of her purse and hands it over to Sam.

"Thanks." Sam takes the letter from Angela, rips it down the middle and then hands it back to her.

"No thanks. I have other friends, wealthy friends. I don't need you anymore, I don't need your mother anymore and I definitely don't need you, half-pint. And I don't need Bonnie's friendship anymore. Just like Dad doesn't need yours." Sam grins, turns on her heel and leaves.

Angela, Mona and Jonathan look on in mere shock.

"What has happened to you two?" Angela hands her mother the ripped up letter and then walks up to Tony.

"Nothing. And please back away from me, Ms. Bower."

"You two have let yourselves become exposed to snobs and have become snobs yourself! The Tony and Sam **I** know _and_ love would **_never_** let themselves--."

"Ms. Bower, we aren't the same people, that is true. We are better people now. And please, we no longer love your family, so you can stop loving us. Besides, we got practice from living with you."

Angela could feel tears in her eyes. Tony had **_never_** spoken to her like that before, well never meant it. And this hurt far worse.

"Hey buster--." Mona begins.

"No, mother I can handle this." Angela says looking at Mona and then back at Tony.

"Ms. Bower." Tony says walking up to her and stops just a few inches from her. "Please get out of my house, I never want to see you again."

Just then Julie enters and walks over to Tony.

"Well hello." She says wrapping her arms around Tony.

_

* * *

__"...Sorry girl but you missed out__  
__Well tough luck that boy's mine now__  
__We are more than just good friends__  
__This is how the story ends..."_

_"Sk8er Boi" By Avril Lavigne_

* * *

Angela can't take it anymore and runs out of the room. She then finds blank walls all around her with no doors nor windows. She begins to scream with tears pouring down her face. 

"Why does this always happen to me? I can't take it anymore! Angela bangs her fists against one of the walls, loses her balance and finds herself falling through the floor.

* * *

Angela jolts her body forward, breaths heavily and feels herself sweating and crying. Looking around the room, she notices that she is in Wendy's living room. She tries her best to calm down and remember how she got there. _

* * *

__Doorbell Rings_

"Oh hi Angela, please come in." Wendy says as she lets her friend in.

"Hi Wendy."

"What brings you by?" Wendy asks as she shuts the front door.

"My client postponed our meeting until after he returns from Atlanta, Georgia. He's visiting his daughter. I looked quite tired to him and he suggested we wait. Although I did mention that I hadn't been getting much sleep in awhile." Angela explains as she walks over to the couch and sits down.

Wendy joins her, "Golly, Angela. I'm sorry." She says sympathetically.

"And I was going to head on home and try to rest, but no one will be there. Now, yes that does sound strange because normally it's best when no one is there, but---." Angela stops and looks up at Wendy who looks a bit confused. "—Oh I don't know." Angela says and drops her head into her hand.

"Gee, I'm sorry Angela. You're more than welcome to stay here if you'd like. I'm afraid that I'm going to be gone for the rest of the afternoon and evening. I have errands to run and then run over to Herb's office."

Angela can't believe this. Has Wendy forgotten her birthday too?

"Oh please don't apologize. That is fine. I understand. _I think_." Angela says thinking the last part to herself. "But thank you, I think I will stay here." She looks over at her friend and smiles.

All right. I hope you get some sleep. I better get going." Wendy gets up from the couch. "Just make yourself at home. I'm sorry that I have to leave you like this. See you later."

"No it's all right and thanks again." Angela replies as her friend grabs her purse and leaves.

Angela looks around at the quiet house, takes off her shoes, grabs the pink blanket from the end of the couch and lies down while spreading it over her body. A couple minutes later, she falls asleep.

* * *

That is how it happened. Angela couldn't take one more of these horrid nightmares. The one she just had topped them all. After a few minutes of calming down, Angela throws the blanket off of her body, gets up off the couch, walks into the kitchen and then suddenly gasps when she reads the microwave clock: 6:00PM 

"Oh great!" She says aloud and races out of the kitchen. She runs out the door, grabs the box and bag from the backseat of her car and re-enters the house. She rounds a corner and then heads up the stairs to get freshened up.


	8. This Time, It Isn't A Dream

Angela sits in her car and looks at the clock. 7:15PM. She had taken a shower and her time instead of rushing herself. She had been extremely nervous, only rushing would have made things worse. She had left a few notes for Wendy and Herb thanking them for everything. Angela gets out of her car and slowly makes her way to the front door. Those dreams and flashbacks are coming back into her head again. Mentally shaking them out of her mind, Angela smoothes her new dress, before entering the house.

Angela fixed her hair with the two glittering pale pink barrettes that she had found in a tiny zip-lock bag underneath her dress. She has also straightened her hair and curled the ends like she had done for Christmas this past year when Tony had sold his baseball card just to buy her a beautiful vase. To this day, she still cannot believe what he did for her. It was sweet, caring and just like Tony. Which is one of the reasons why she loves him so much.

Noticing the lights are off in the house, Angela gets more nervous but knows that she has to enter the house. She takes a deep breath, slowly opens the door, enters the dark house and closes the door. Angela then feels around for the light switch.

"Surprise! Happy Birthday!"

Angela slowly removes her hand from the switch and looks around the room. Birthday decorations, streamers, pastel colored balloons and more cover the room. A table next to the swinging door displays snacks and refreshments. Presents are gathered in piles on the table behind the couch. There is even a banner hanging over the fireplace that reads: _"Happy Birthday, Angela!"_ After setting her purse onto the bench next to the door, Angela slowly walks into the room and focuses her eyes on the guests in the house. Everyone is dressed up nicely. Mona, Tony, Samantha, Jonathan, Marci, Dr. Ferguson, Isabel and Wendy are all standing in the living room. She takes a look around the room again. Even a few of Tony's friends from the old neighborhood are there. Angela looks around the room one last time, ah there she is—Julie.

"Happy Birthday, Dear." Mona says as she walks over to Angela.

"H-Hi, Mother." Angela notices that her mother is dressed in a new blue number.

"I see you're surprised." Mona says smiling.

"Well yes." Angela replies. _"I just hope it isn't one of my dreams."_ She says to herself.

"You look nice."

"Well thank you dear. You certainly look radiant."

"Thank you Mo--. Wait. You sent me this dress?" Angela asks in surprise, pointing to Mona and then to herself.

"Yes. And boy, I have to say you look beautiful." Mona says sincerely looking at her baby girl.

Angela couldn't believe her ears. "You mean it?" She asks with tears welling in her eyes.

"Yes, I really mean it."

Angela throws her arms around her mother and hugs her. "Thank you, I love it. It's beautiful."

"What do you think about the party?"

"It's wonderful thank you." Angela hugs Mona once more.

"Well you're welcome, but you need to thank the head creator--- Tony."

"Tony?" Angela asks in surprise.

"Yes, this year he was finally able to pull off a surprise party for you."

Some feet away, Tony can barely hear Julie's voice next to him and he doesn't care. All he can do is look at the angel that has entered the house. And that is exactly what Angela looks like to him right now, a beautiful angel in pink. Tony watches as Sam and Jonathan run up to Angela.

"Happy Birthday!" They exclaim hugging and kissing Angela.

Both Sam and Jonathan have on the clothes they wore to Tony's 'Gala Appreciation Party'.

"Thank you." Angela hugs them back and gives them each a kiss.

"You both look very nice."

"Thanks." They reply.

"Happy Birthday, Ang." Tony says walking over and giving her a hug.

Angela returns the hug and stays there in Tony's embrace for a few more moments. She loves being in his arms and doesn't want to leave them so soon. But she of course releases seconds later and looks over Tony's appearance. He has on dark blue jeans, a belt, black shoes and a new light blue button up shirt and has rolled up the sleeves some. He looks quite handsome, she thinks to herself.

"Thank you, Tony." Angela says softly as she feels tears fall down her face.

"Oh you're welcome. Oh Ay, don't cry." He tells her and wipes the tears off her face.

"I'm sorry I'm late. And I'm so overwhelmed and surprised. Thank you, really. You're very sweet. And you look very nice, by the way."

"No need for an apology. Thank you and you look beautiful." Tony moves his hand away from her face.

Angela blushes slightly, "Thank you." She looks down.

"Come on, Mom! You have to say 'hi' to your guests!" Jonathan says grabbing his mother's wrist.

"All right, I will. Jonathan, sweetie, you don't need to drag me." Angela says following him.

_**Twenty-Five Minutes Later**_

Everyone is around the living room chatting away and music is playing in the background.

Angela takes a picture of Sam and Marci together. Sam with her pink dress and Marci with the dress she wore at her father's and Isabel's wedding. Moments later the doorbell rings. Angela goes to answer it.

"Special Delivery for a Ms. Angela Bower." A young boy says holding up a bouquet of pink roses wrapped in green tissue paper.

"Delivery at this time of night?" Angela questions.

"That's why it's a 'special delivery', dear." Mona says as she passes Angela.

Angela rolls her eyes and then turns back to the boy, "Thank you." Angela takes the roses.

"You're welcome Ma'am." He says and turns to leave.

Angela closes the door and then gazes down at the twelve dozen pink roses. She finds a little white card tucked in the roses and pulls it out. It reads:

**_"Let me always be the one to wipe your tears away. I will forever and always be here for you."_**

Angela slowly looks up from the card and scans the room. She stops when she sees Tony, who seems to be in deep conversation with Julie. Angela mentally shakes her head and sighs. With the luck she has had, it'd be a one and a trillion chance.


End file.
